• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.33-46
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• 2008

Objectives : Obesity is a metabolic disease resulted from various causes including nutritional disproportion, hormonal imbalance, and hypothalamic nuclei disorder. Samhwang-tang(Sanhuang-tang, SHT) is composed of 5 herbs (Ephedrae Herba, Scutellariae Radix, Typhae pollen, Acori Rhizoma and Ansu Semen) and is frequently used for obese patients. This study investigated anti-obesity effects of SHT on the rats. Methods : Obesity was induced by high fat diet (HFD), monosodium L-glutamate injection (MSG) and ovariectomy (OVX) in the Sprague-Dawley rats. Water extract of SHT was treated for 2 weeks, then changes of body weight gain and epididymal fat cell size were measured. In OVX animals, c-Fos and neuropeptide Y (NPY) expressions in hypothalamic nuclei were observed with immunohistochemistry. Results : SHT treatment demonstrated significant decrease of body weight gain in obesity induced by HFD and OVX, but not in obesity induced by MSG. SHT treatment demonstrated significant decrease of fat cell size in obesity induced by HFD, but not in obesity induced by MSG. On c-Fos and NPY expressions in hypothalamic nuclei, SHT treatment resulted significant decrease of immuno-reactivity of c-Fos and NPY in obesity induced by OVX. Conclusions : These results suggest that SHT has a weight loss effect against obesity induced by nutritional disproportion of diet intake and hormonal imbalance, especially without central nervous system disorder.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.399-404
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and fermentation methods (C-I; fermented for 5 days at 1$0^{\circ}C$ after 2$0^{\circ}C$ fermentation for 2 days, C-II; fermented for 7 days at 1$0^{\circ}C$, M-I; kimchi with MSG fermented for 5 days at 1$0^{\circ}C$ after 2$0^{\circ}C$ fermentation for 2 days, M-II; kimchi with MSG fermented for 7 days at 1$0^{\circ}C$ on fermentation and free amino acid content. Fermentation of M-I and M-II was slightly delayed compared to C-I and C-II. Total microbe of C-I and C-IIwere lower than those of M-I and M-II, and lactic acid bacteria of C-I and C-II were lower than those of M-I and M-II respectively. The major free amino acids were alanine, asparagine, homocystine and valine in C-I, especially, glutamic acid and ornithine were high in C-II. Homocystine, alanine, asparagine and valine in M-I, glutamic acid, alanine, hydroxyproline, asparagine, homocystine, ornithine and valine were the major free amino acid in M-II, respectively. The sour taste of M-I and M-II was lower than those of C-I and C-II, respectively, and the effect of delaying fermentation at 1$0^{\circ}C$ did not showed in the C-I and M-I. The crispy taste of the M-I and M-II was higher than those of C-I and C-II, which was the opposite results of sour taste. Palatable and overall taste of M-I and M-II were higher than those of C-I and C-II, respectively These results suggest that the MSG in kimchi affect not only increment of free amino acid content but also shelf-life and taste improvement, and continuous fermentation at 1$0^{\circ}C$ also enhance the content of free amino acid and shelf-life of kimchi.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.1216-1222
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• 2017

To develop starters for the production of functional foods or materials, lactic acid bacteria producing ${\gamma}-aminobutyric$ acid (GABA) were screened from jeotgals, Korean fermented seafoods. One isolate producing a high amount of GABA from monosodium $\text\tiny{L}$-glutamate (MSG) was identified as Enterococcus avium by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. E. avium M5 produced $18.47{\pm}1.26mg/ml$ GABA when incubated for 48 h at $37^{\circ}C$ in MRS broth with MSG (3% (w/v)). A gadB gene encoding glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) was cloned and overexpressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) using the pET26b (+) expression vector. Recombinant GAD was purified through a Ni-NTA column and the size was estimated to be 53 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Maximum GAD activity was observed at pH 4.5 and $55^{\circ}C$and the activity was dependent on pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values of GAD were $3.26{\pm}0.21mM$ and $0.0120{\pm}0.0001mM/min$, respectively, when MSG was used as a substrate. Enterococcus avium M5 secretes a lot of GABA when grown on MRS with MSG, and the strain is useful for the production of fermented foods containing a high amount of GABA.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.181-186
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• 2013

${\gamma}$-Aminobutyric acid(GABA) is a four carbon non-protein amino acid that has several well-known physiological functions, such as a postsynaptic inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and induction of hypotensive and tranquilizer effects. A lactic acid bacterium was isolated from button mushroom bed, which is showing high GABA productivity by TLC or HPLC analysis. The strain was identified as Lactobacillus hilgardii by analysis of 16S rDNA gene sequence. When the maximum production of GABA by L. hilgardii was investigated with various concentration of monosodium glutamate, the yield of GABA reached to be 53.65 mM at 1% mono sodium glutamate (MSG) in flask cultivation. A Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) enzyme, which was known to convert MSG to GABA, was purified from a cell-free extract of L. hilgardii and the molecular weights of purified GAD was estimated to 60,000 by SDS-PAGE. The optimum pH and temperature of GAD were at pH4.6 and at $37^{\circ}C$, respectively. The GAD activity was increased by the addition of sulfate ions such as ammonium sulfate, sodium sulfate and magnesium sulfate, indicating that the increase of hydrophobic interaction causes the increase of GAD activity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.155-161
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• 2007

In order to characterize the role of sympathetic activity in obesity, we repeatedly assessed sympathetic activity via power spectral analyses of heart rate variability in the same subjects at 7, 11, 25, and 60 weeks, using monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obese and control rats. The effects of lower sympathetic activity on obesity were also evaluated. Fat mass in MSG rats was already higher at 7 weeks, but the sympathetic activity did not differ between 7 and 25 weeks. Between 25 and 60 weeks, the increase in fat mass, food efficiency, and body weight gain was higher in MSG rats. The increase in sympathetic activity between 25 and 60 weeks and sympathetic activity at 60 weeks were lower in MSG rats. Fat mass at 60 weeks was inversely correlated with changes in sympathetic activity between 25 and 60 weeks. Reduced plasma epinephrine levels by bilateral adrenal demedullation induced increase of fat mass. In, an attenuated increase of sympathetic activity with age may partly be responsible for aggravated obesity in MSG rats. Additionally, reduced sympathetic activity per se induced obesity in rats. These results suggest that lower sympathetic activity contributes to obesity in rats.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.93-104
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• 2017

monosodium L-glutamate (MSG), composed of 88% L-glutamic acid (GLU) and 12% Na, is considered as Generally Recognized as Safe. GLU is accounting for 15% of the total amino acid content in our body. Daily GLU intake is large 3.5-10.6 g from food and 1.3 g from food additive. The daily formed GLU in the body, via degradation of the total protein, is 48-50 g (70 kg of male) and the maintained GLU in the body is total bound GLU (1.4-2.0 kg) and free GLU (10 g). About 88% GLU are consumed at digestive tract, and only 12% GLU enter the blood stream. GLU is generally known to precursors of N-acetyl glutamate and glutamine, substrates for protein synthesis, a neurotransmitter (GABA), and the active site of the enzyme. In addition to protein synthesis, GLU has these key functions within the body, thus this amino acid is critical for healthy body maintenance and function.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.450-459
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• 2017

This study evaluated the effects of culture conditions, including carbon and nitrogen sources, L-monosodium glutamate (MSG), and initial pH, on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) production by Lactobacillus brevis HYE1 isolated from kimchi, a Korean traditional fermented food. L. brevis HYE1 was screened by the production analysis of GABA and genetic analysis of the glutamate decarboxylase gene, resulting in 14.64 mM GABA after 48 h of cultivation in MRS medium containing 1% (w/v) MSG. In order to increase GABA production by L. brevis HYE1, the effects of carbon and nitrogen sources on GABA production were preliminarily investigated via one-factor-at-a-time optimization strategy. As the results, 2% maltose and 3% tryptone were determined to produce 17.93 mM GABA in modified MRS medium with 1% (w/v) MSG. In addition, the optimal MSG concentration and initial pH were determined to be 1% and 5.0, respectively, resulting in production of 18.97 mM GABA. Thereafter, response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to determine the optimal conditions of the above four factors. The results indicate that pH was the most significant factor for GABA production. The optimal culture conditions for maximum GABA production were also determined to be 2.14% (w/v) maltose, 4.01% (w/v) tryptone, 2.38% (w/v) MSG, and an initial pH of 4.74. In these conditions, GABA production by L. brevis HYE1 was predicted to be 21.44 mM using the RSM model. The experiment was performed under these optimized conditions, resulting in GABA production of 18.76 mM. These results show that the predicted and experimental values of GABA production are in good agreement.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2016

Dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from traditional fermented foods to obtain rare ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing LAB. Out of 147 isolates, 23 strains that could produce GABA with 1% (w/v) L-monosodium glutamate (MSG) were first isolated. After further screening of these rare GABA-producing LAB by analysis of the glutamate decarboxylase and 16S rRNA gene sequences, Enterococcus faecium JK29 was isolated, and 1.56 mM of GABA was produced after 48 h cultivation in basic de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) medium. To enhance GABA production by E. faecium JK29, the culture conditions were optimized. When E. faecium JK29 was cultivated in optimized MRS medium containing 0.5% (w/v) sucrose and 2% (w/v) yeast extract with 0.5% (w/v) MSG, GABA production reached 14.86 mM after 48 h cultivation at initial conditions of pH 7.5 and $30^{\circ}C$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2021

A γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing microorganism was isolated from galchi (hairtail fish, Trichiurus lepturus) jeotgal, a Korean salted and fermented seafood. The G144 isolate produced GABA excessively when incubated in MRS broth containing monosodium glutamate (MSG, 3%, w/v). G144 was identified as Lactobacillus brevis through 16S rRNA and recA gene sequencing. gadB and gadC encoding glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and glutamate/GABA antiporter, respectively, were cloned and gadB was located downstream of gadC. The operon structure of gadCB was confirmed by reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction. gadB was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and recombinant GAD was purified and its size was 54.4 kDa as evidenced by SDS-PAGE results. Maximum GAD activity was observed at pH 5.0 and 40℃ and the activity was dependent on pyridoxal 5'-phophate. The K_m and V_max of GAD were 8.6 mM and 0.01 mM/min, respectively.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.86-90
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• 2006

Two lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with high ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing capacity were isolated from naturally aged cheese. Examination of the biochemical features using an API kit indicated that the two strains belonged to Lactobacillus. They were gram positive, rod-type bacteria, and fermented arabinose, melezitose, melibiose and xylose, but did not utilize cellobiose or trehalose. 16S rDNA sequencing analysis confirmed that they were Lactobacillus buchneri and Lactobacillus sp. They were accordingly named as Lactobacillus buchneri OPM-1 and Lactobacillus sp. OPM-2, and could produce GABA from MRS broth supplemented with 10 g/L of monosodium glutamate (MSG) at a productivity of 91.7 and 116.7 mg/L/hr, respectively. Cell extracts of L. buchneri OPM-1 and Lactobacillus sp. OPM-2 showed glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity, for which the optimum pH and temperature were 5.5 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively.